The health department's Office of Licensure and Certification conducted a site visit in May after receiving a complaint about anesthesia services at the hospital.

"We could not find evidence or information to substantiate it being a dangerous situation for the delivery of anesthesia care at Riverside hospital," said Chris Durrer.

The health department inquiry followed on the heels of a survey by the Joint Commission, which accredits health care organizations. Following up on a complaint, the Joint Commission reported no problems with the way Riverside credentialed its new anesthesia providers but issued seven "requirements for improvement" in areas such as documentation.

Riverside's anesthesia services have come under scrutiny since the hospital did not renew a contract with a local anesthesia company and brought on board an unheard of startup company, Soma Health Partners. Riverside and Soma soon after cut ties, and the health system's physician's group, Riverside Medical Group, assumed management of the department.

The survey included tracing patients' footsteps through the hospital, Riverside spokesman Peter Glagola said. Neither hospital nor health department officials could say whether that included an incident published on Newport News blogger's website, a report saying a 29-year-old patient was brain-dead after an anesthesia error.

"There's a strong possibility that while they were in there, these cases that may have been discussed more in the public may have been traced," Glagola said, adding, "There was a lot of information released from unofficial and unaccountable sources."

Riverside has brought on board 39 new anesthesia providers. Most of them are working under temporary, long-term contracts. Three will be permanent providers, and another six to 10 permanent anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists are pending, Glagola said.

THE STORY SO FAR

Riverside Regional Medical Center has been under scrutiny since April 7, when it ended a decades-old relationship with a local anesthesiology group and replaced it with a Texas-based firm that turned out to be a start-up company with no other hospital clients.

The outcry that erupted over that change prompted the hospital to drop the Texas firm and assign Riverside Medical Group — the hospital's doctors group — the task of recruiting and managing anesthesiology services.